Cooperation and Forming Networks of Creative Cities: Polish Experiences

Abstract

The goal of this article is to draw attention to one of the currently observed trends in the geography of cities in the context of the networking of cities of similar development profiles. In that context, the most important examples of the urban networks were analysed, including the following networks: the UNESCO Creative Cities Network and Eurocities as well known side-network initiatives of the European Capital of Culture. Each network was analysed in the context of business objectives and the conditions for participation. In addition to that, the article describes the idea of cluster forming with particular emphasis on creative industries clusters. Moreover, this article is devoted to Polish experiences connected with the participation of the Polish cities in international networks of creative cities, establishing creative clusters in Poland and with cluster initiatives.

Notes

1. Glasgow is mentioned in foreign literature as an example of an European city with the cultural district (Santagata, 2002).

2. Although generally during several years of editing these competitions there were two nominations. In addition to Bydgoszcz, in the field of co-operation award was supposed to be given to Warsaw for the celebration of the Jubilee Warsaw Chopin Year. The nomination did not win recognition in the opinion of the evaluation committee.

3. At the end of ECC in Cracow, they decided that the dispersion of such attractive ideas and funding for 5 years was wrong.

4. In 2003, the European Commission told Polish authorities that only in Poland development policy based on clusters was neither designed nor implemented, therefore Poland intensively works in order to change the situation.

5. In the EU documents the policy based on clusters is usually connected with the problems of small and medium enterprises.

6. According to Hołub-Iwan and Małachowska (2008) in the case of 41% of cluster initiatives in Poland, at the head of them are universities or scientific-technological parks. It can thus be predicted, they are more innovative.

7. European Cluster Observatory in its statement includes only those clusters that have won at least one point in three possible in the following categories: (a) cluster size—the size of employment in the cluster exceeds the number corresponding to 10% of the average number of employees in all clusters centred around the industry on an UE scale, (b) the degree of specialization—at least two times higher employment in the trade cluster in a particular region, compared with the average employment in the industry which is the core of the cluster in the EU, (c) Employees—participation of employees involved in the cluster in relation to the number of employees in the entire region; point receives 10% of the clusters with the highest indicator.

8. The author performed a poll among the subjects belonging to creative industries in the area of one of the biggest cities in Poland—Wrocław. It turns out, none of the researched subjects have set cluster/cluster initiative, although they cooperate with other subjects.